Qing · by 世宗皇帝御選
279,518 · about 932 min
Compiled by Imperial Order of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Completed in the eleventh year of the Yongzheng reign, this work represents the culmination of the Emperor’s personal selection and commentary on the recorded dialogues, sharp exchanges, and verses of eminent Chan masters and lay practitioners throughout history. Its historical context lies in the proliferation of malpractices within Chan circles during the early Qing period, prompting Emperor Yongzheng, in his capacity as sovereign, to intervene in the doctrinal discourse within Chan Buddhism, aiming to rectify its ethos and distinguish the genuine from the spurious. The content encompasses the pivotal dialogues, poetic gāthās, and the Emperor’s own evaluative remarks on Chan masters from the First Patriarch in India to the important Chan teachers of the Song and Ming dynasties in China. Although this work reflects the personal Chan insights of an emperor, its meticulous compilation and incisive criticism have accorded it a unique status in Buddhist history, making it an important document for the study of the relationship between the Qing imperial family and Buddhism, as well as the evolution of Chan thought.